Officials of Bangladesh and India have agreed that there would be no further scope for inclusion or exclusion of any enclave residents, except those who fall under three special categories.
A closed-door meeting Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of Bangladesh and India in Dhaka last week reviewed several agenda and concluded that those who had not been included in 2011 survey of 162 enclaves in two neighbouring countries are excluded.
The meeting followed a 10-day joint survey in 162 enclaves of the two countries.
In the joint survey, those who were born after the 2011 survey and spouses settled from other enclaves on marital deals were included while the dead were excluded, an official of the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Daily Observer on Monday on condition of anonymity.
"Well, there is another scope for those enclave dwellers who are in prison for any crime or illegal border crossing - they would be asked of their option," the official said.
First the residents would be asked whether there are dwellers who are in prison. Simultaneously, the prisons on both countries would be surveyed whether any enclave residents are in jail.
The official is not aware whether there would be any amnesty for inmates in prisons.
There is no scope for inclusion or exclusion after July 16 joint survey of the enclaves, the official said.
.The government is now busy checking the options for citizenship of either country and would provide full cooperation to facilitate their migration, the official said.
The process repatriation and rehabilitation of the residents to the country of their choice is expected to be completed by the end of coming November, so to avoid the monsoon season. Officials of both countries are also preparing details of the rehabilitation package, including the land pieces they would be given in exchange for what they left behind or monetary relief.
However, a senior bureaucrat said that a few residents who have already given their option for citizenship of either Bangladesh or India, later appealed to District Commissioners (DC) that on second-thought they are willing to change their decision. Only those few residents would be allowed to change their option.
Dhaka has informed New Delhi regarding change of decision of few residents, the official said but declined to give details.
This issue and other matters would be discussed at a meeting in New Delhi at the end of August hosted by Indian Ministry of Home Affairs and a half-day workshop on land swap formalities, the official added.
The workshop in Delhi would be attended by a dozen of District Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Rangpur and Sylhet Divisions along with their Indian counterparts - District Magistrates (DMs) and SPs - of border districts in five Northeast Indian states.
Meanwhile, the Department of Land Records and Survey has finalised the political map of Bangladesh afresh with the inclusion of the 111 enclaves. The map would be made public hours after August 1, once the lands are swapped at mid-night of July 31, which has been dubbed as 'Appointment Day'.
"Officially there is no programme to observe the day," the official said.
However, the residents have plans to light candles and lamps in each homestead to celebrate the land swap day.